Page 75 of Love and War

“You’re right, I’m sorry. But in the underworld, those three are known to be dangerous. And that if you come across them, you won’t live. There are rumors that Devil is batshit crazy, but Myasnik is another ballgame. I wouldn’t want to get on his bad side, or fuck, have my name out there for him.”

“So basically, what you’re telling me is I’m dead.”

“Myasnik, he won’t touch you. Neither will the Devil. Myasnik, also translates loosl–”

“The Butcher, I know.” Aziza smiled up at me.

“Wait, wait a moment. You know Russian?”

Aziza stared at me like it was the dumbest question I could have asked. Of course, she did, and I—fuck.

“So every time I spoke it, and you acted like you had no idea what I was saying?”

“It was like you were telling me secrets,Popsicle. I didn’t want to intrude on that.”

Letting out a sigh, I couldn’t even be mad. It was actually kind of nice that she spoke a different language.

“How many do you speak?” I finally asked. I knew Salem spoke eight, which was a lot. And it reminded me I should probably start to learn more than Russian and English.

Aziza still hadn’t answered me. Instead she was focusing on everywhere else.

“Aziza.”

“Ten, but I’m currently trying to learn another. Well, before everything went to shit.”

“Ten?”

Why the fuck anyone would need to know ten fucking languages was behind me. I mean, eight was enough, more than enough. I would be good if I knew three. Maybe four. But ten?

“I mean, yeah. I grew up knowing Italian and English. Then when I was eight, Holly put me in Spanish classes. After everything happened with Salem, I started learning more.”

I was dumbfounded.

“Here, turn around.” I nudged her to turn so I could wash her hair. Grabbing the shampoo I poured some on my hand before I began washing.

“Which do you know?”

“Well, English, obviously, Spanish, Italian, Finnish, Chinese, Arabic, Greek, French, German, and Russian.”

Rinsing out her hair, I didn’t know what to say. For probably the first time, I had no idea what to say. Aziza was crazy smart, could do anything in the world she wanted.

Neither of us spoke as I finished rinsing her hair, and then conditioning it and repeating the process. Washing her body was a little more difficult since her leg had to stay out of the water. But once she was done washing, I quickly washed myself. Mindful of my back, I didn’t need her seeing that just yet. She’d probably freak out.

Drying us both off, I dressed before I pulled one of my large shirts over her head.

“Aziza, no one is ever going to hurt you. I won’t let them. I will protect you, even if that means dying. So, when I tell you I’m not going anywhere, I promise I’m not. I’m not going to let anyone touch you,” I said as I brushed her hair. I just needed her to trust me. This once if anything mattered, I needed her to trust me.

She looked like she was pondering it for a moment before she finally inclined her head.

“I’m trusting you, Killian, trusting you won’t leave me again.” She smiled before adding, “And to protect u–me.” She caught herself, our eyes meeting in the mirror.

“That’s all I’m asking for, beautiful.”

“Can you answer something else, please?” Turning around, she swung her arms around my neck. Grabbing her thighs, I lifted her up, holding her ass.

“Did you leave because you needed to or because you wanted to?” Her voice shook as she asked.

“I never wanted to leave you; it broke me just as much as it did you. I did it to protect you.”

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